


Pavise

by SinfonianLegend



Series: Life Skills [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Annette just has a real bad day, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 12:42:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20706182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinfonianLegend/pseuds/SinfonianLegend
Summary: Some pain eats away at the heart and mind in the way a physical ailment never could. Sometimes that pain culminates into a burden too difficult to bear with the weight of all of life's other troubles. And sometimes, that weight can be enough to drown you by yourself.





	Pavise

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I forgot what month Gilbert first shows up at the monastery and decided it was not worth the effort to dig to figure it out and I apologize, so I’m just gonna stick Gilbert showing up around the beginning of Verdant Moon and this is set at the beginning of Wyvern Moon/the month of the second mock battle!

“Annie are you alright?” Mercie asked gently. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, but…”

Annette stuffed a cinnamon spice cookie in her mouth so she didn’t have to answer. She felt so many things and she felt nothing all at once. She asked Mercedes if they could bake up some sweets thinking they might help her get it together and focus. She had to be at her best for the mock battle at the end of the month. If she was the reason one of the other classes won she would have to hide out in her room so much out of embarrassment she would make Bernadetta look well-adjusted.

“I’m fine, just sick of studying!” Annette laughed, waving her hand dismissively. Why couldn’t she tell Mercie? They were best friends. It just didn’t make sense. “Gosh all this junk about leyline theory is blurring y’know? But it’s supposed to make me better at controlling wind magic, so I guess I’ve got to, especially if I want to do the certification exam by the end of next month. How’s it going for you, Mercie?”

“Good! Lately I’ve just been learning anatomy better so I can concentrate my healing efforts more efficiently with better precision,” she yawned. “This is a nice break though! I’m glad you suggested we do this.” Mercedes pulled the last tray of cookies out of the oven and set it on the metal section of the counter. Annette knew better than to think Mercedes was unaware of the turmoil within her but Mercedes hadn’t pushed the issue, as if she could sense it was delicate somehow. 

Annette finished washing the last mixing bowl and set it on the drying rack. “Yeah, this was a good idea,” she said absentmindedly. It didn’t help her focus, or forget what was simmering at the back of her mind, but there was certainly never anything bad about baking cookies. Especially when they were sweet cinnamon-sugar goodness like these ones.

“Is there anyone you’d like to take these extras to?” Mercie asked, prying the cookies off the baking sheet into a fabric parcel. “You can take them to the whole class or take them all with you to study. I won’t judge,” she winked. 

“I don’t know yet,” Annette mused. “I’ll think of something on the way back. Thanks again Mercie, I’ll see you later!” She knotted the red checked fabric containing the still deliciously warm goodies and skipped out the door. 

“See you later, Annie!” 

But she wasn’t ready to go back to studying yet; not even close. But she couldn’t justify to herself going to her room and stuffing her face with cookies either. 

Her feet carried her without thinking to the greenhouse. As she entered, the dying embers of the sunset finally sputtered out and plunged the sky into gloom. She just hoped it didn’t rain. The greenhouse was a great idea since no one would be in there at night, and it was fairly close to her room. She cracked the door open to peak and found she was right. Lighting the spare lantern by the door with a small array at her fingertip, the very picture of control over flame, she closed the door behind her and took a deep breath to take in the crisp air. 

Annette walked past the poppies, the marigolds, and the other flowers of medicinal use to the anemones, the rosebushes, the sunflowers; the plants that were bright for the sake of being pretty to look at and nothing else. She settled down next to the camellia bush tucked away in the corner of the room and breathed in deeply.

And she let the tension she had wound herself up around so tightly snap loose. 

Her father had come to the monastery, the first time she had seen him in years and years. And all he did was avoid her. Even if she cornered him he wordlessly shoved past and wouldn’t meet her eyes. How could she let herself get excited when she heard he was coming in the first place? How stupid was she to think anything would change just because he was posted at the monastery now? 

She had wondered what made him leave and stay away all those years ago. When he left she couldn’t understand why. Even now, she struggled. How could someone be so fixated on their duty that they abandoned their family? Annette saw Dedue and sortof began to grasp what “duty” really was. And yet she felt awful and selfish for wanting her father back when Dimitri had no one but Dedue and her father after the Tragedy of Duscur. Dimitri was her prince and future king, and he had every right to take her father when he lost everyone he loved. She was nothing after all. Her brother would inherit the title Duke of Dominic, and unless she proved her worth as a scholar of sorcery or married into a nice family, once the war was over she had nothing ahead of her. And all her friends and comrades would leave her to go back to their homes and territories to govern, rule, or do whatever other great things her ridiculously talented friends and comrades had in store for them. And they were never all going to be in the same place ever again after Dimitri’s coronation. Unless there was war. And that was something too terrible to even consider wishing for.

The tears burned her eyes and it was getting difficult to breathe. _ Stupid, stupid, stupid. _ It doesn’t matter that she went from only being able to barely fire off wind spells to being able to shape the wind to her will in less than a year, or that she could do combat first aid or command a battalion more effectively than anyone had ever thought she would. Improvement meant nothing if the point to which it improved was inconsequential.

Nothing she did mattered. Annette curled in on herself. The tears wouldn’t stop. What was the point of her even being there? She was dead weight. The kind of person who “cleaned up” and hung around behind the people doing the real work in the army. And if she didn’t keep up the Professor would put her on the B-team. _ Flayn’s probably going to replace me, _ she thought bitterly. An image of an absolutely ripped six foot tall Flayn walking into class the next day flashed through her mind and she groaned. 

“I just have to work harder,” she mumbled to herself. But that excuse felt flimsier than it ever had. She could work herself to death and no one was going to notice, especially not him. It was just…pointless. Why work herself relentlessly to take a certification exam a few months early? She balled her fists and dug her fingernails into her palms. She hadn’t even sang anything in weeks, since her father arrived at the monastery. That thought pained her just as much as all the rest, somehow. For an amount of time she didn’t bother to keep track of, she sat at the center of the vortex of her thoughts spiraling around her and did her best to keep her head above water. To try to feel the sadness and pain without letting it bog her down too much. Because once she left the greenhouse she couldn’t let it flood her until she could find the time to come back.

The door of the greenhouse creaked open and she scrambled to hide the light of the lamp long enough to extinguish it. She couldn’t see who walked in from the floor, only hear their footsteps. They were light, like the person had practiced the art of hiding the sound. Despite not having a light, they walked slowly into the building. Annette covered her mouth to hide her breathing. She ran the monastery residents through her head rapid-fire. Shamir…Bernie…Ignatz…Ashe used to be a thief, didn’t he mention? The person stepped into the same walkway she occupied and stopped. It had gotten so dark so quickly there wasn’t enough light to see who it was. _ Oh no— _

“…Is someone there?” They took a step towards her. They mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a creative mixture of curse words and ancient language and after a few unsuccessful snaps, a tiny flame flicked to life floating next to their hand. 

“Felix?” she yelped. _It couldn’t have been anyone else,_ she grumbled internally. “What are you doing here?! This is so embarrassing…” At least he looked more surprised than she did. He also looked drenched; the rain had started and she hadn’t even noticed.

“Uh, Annette, I didn’t expect you to be here,” he stammered uncharacteristically. She could feel his eyes analyzing the tear stains, her hair falling out of its ties, and her puffy red eyes. Her cheeks burning redder from the humiliation of being found in the middle of bawling. “I-I just-thought I forgot something in here but I’ll leave you be, my apologies—“ he pivoted on his heels but didn’t take a step forward.

Annette sniffled. “I’ll bribe you not to breathe a word of this to anyone with cinnamon cookies. I promise they’re not too sweet. You’d probably like them.” She didn’t even have the energy to sound mad that he found her anymore. She was so_ tired. _ “Or I can take your stable shift this week. And your kitchen shift. And your greenhouse shift.”

“That really isn’t necessary,” he said quietly, still not facing her. He was probably thinking about how much of a disappointment and mess she was. Why spend time in here crying and moping when she should be studying? She braced herself for getting reprimanded by Felix “Stronger, Faster, Never Enough” Fraldarius. Annette felt like her eyes were about to spill a whole new bucket of tears—she shouldn’t have to water the camellia bush tomorrow-- but held it together with willpower alone. Out of anyone else in this school she was not about to look even weaker in front of Felix. He turned to face her.

“I won’t pretend to know why you’re upset. But I’d like to show you something,” he offered, with no elaboration. His face betrayed nothing. 

She paused. Whatever he was going to show her had to be better than sniffling in the dark. She couldn’t stay in there much longer anyways. “Okay. What is it?”

“You’ll just have to follow me,” he said cryptically, but she swore she could see him smiling ever so slightly. She stood up and followed him out of the greenhouse, hanging the lantern by the door on her way out. He led her upstairs to the second floor of the dorms. In the stairwell he whispered not to say a word until they were at his room and suddenly she had a bad feeling about whatever he was going to show her. _ Felix isn’t trying to be creepy…right? _ “Don’t look at me like that, it’s nothing weird. Come on.” 

Annette followed Felix step for step avoiding the creaky floorboards. It was tricky, but almost fun. Without alerting a single person on the floor or below it, they arrived at Felix’s room. He unlocked the door with practiced soundlessness and opened it just wide enough to slip through. Annette, despite the uncertainty, followed and slowly closed the door to muffle the sound. 

“We should be fine now.” Felix patted his leg twice. “Come on out, Zoltan.”

From under his bed came a “mrrow” and a chipper-looking kitten headbutted his leg. The kitten’s fur was so dark it could have been dipped in chimney soot. Annette was speechless. 

“But…having a pet is against the rules…how long have you had him?” she could only sound amazed. Felix? Keeping a cat? Out of all the people in the monastery. Her brain was struggling to keep up but the kitten rubbed up against her leg demanding to be pet. She could process later. 

“Since the Great Tree Moon. I’ve done a pretty good job of no one noticing thus far and I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone.” Zoltan was so busy warming her heart she didn’t even notice Felix light the lamp on his desk and draw the curtains. Zoltan purred and curled around her and then she noticed Zoltan’s tail. Or, lack therof. 

“What happened to him?” she scratched Zoltan’s head as he arched into her touch. 

“When I found him, I think a fox or coyote attacked him because his tail was mangled. I meant to go to Manuela about it but…” Felix shrugged. “I ran into the Archbishop on the way and she asked why I was hurrying to Manuela. And she fixed up Zoltan for me. Well, his tail couldn’t be saved, but he’s got a stub at least. Ever since, he comes in and out of my window when he pleases. So if I ever get caught, I don’t “own” him but he likes to spend time in here. But since it’s gotten so cold, he’s spent more time in my room.”

Annette forced herself to restrain a laugh as it hit her that Felix had named Zoltan. “I like his name.” 

Felix seemed to puff up a little with pride. “I was torn between Zoltan and Wo Dao. I think I made the right choice, too.” She couldn’t believe those were the final two options and bit her cheek to stop herself from bursting into laughter that_ he almost named a cat Wo Dao._ And she thought she was a disaster.

Zoltan froze and seemed to be looking at something by Felix’s feet. With a little butt wiggle, he shot across the floor and pounced on a lone sock that had fallen underneath the bed. She snatched it up and moved it erratically across the floor around herself so Zoltan had a target to hunt. He watched her hand with rapt eyes almost completely black. Thus began the cycle. When the moment was right, he would make a mad dash for the sock and try to snatch it back from Annette. Once he was certain his quarry was sufficiently deceased he would bring the sock back to Annette and the game would begin anew. 

Annette played with Zoltan and chatted with Felix without worrying in the least about rest. They talked of their classmates, their classes, and descended into rabbit hole discussions of strategy and history. Felix would even present a new sock for Zoltan to chase, much to Zoltan’s surprise and delight, something Annette never thought she would ever see Felix do. Feed a cat, sure, but playing with one was an entirely different matter. 

“Do you really play with Zoltan like this each evening?” 

“Sometimes he’s too tired to play when he comes back, but yes. If he expects to become an excellent hunter he needs all the practice he can get.” 

As the night went on, and Zoltan curled up on Annette’s lap (which meant she was trapped in Felix’s room until Zoltan decided to move, because she was not giving up her chance after being chosen by such a cute cat that had stolen her heart.) and the extra cookies slowly disappeared between the two of them. The conversation had all but died, even as the quietest hours of night slipped past. 

“If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to see?” she yawned. She didn’t’ even want to think of what time it was.

“Dagda. I don’t mind the cold, but I’d like a change of pace. See the Falls of Naya and,” he paused, “it is said the inspiration Zoltan got from visiting there was what he needed to push his work to the level he is renowned for.”

“Really? I think it would be fun to visit Dagda and Brighid someday but I would love to go to Morfis and learn about magic there. And I’ve heard it’s a beautiful city, too!” she exclaimed.

“Are you sure the beauty isn’t an illusion there, too?” Felix chuckled. “But really, if you were to learn to weave illusions on top of mastering Fodlan’s magic you would be unstoppable as both a scholar and warrior.” 

“You really think so?” she replied before she could stop herself. It was so late she wasn’t going to be filtering anything she was saying.

He leveled his gaze as her. “Of course. It is because you work so hard at your studies that I am certain you’ll have an impact, no matter what you do or how you choose to do it.” His golden eyes widened and he started to panic. “Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?”

The tears were back, leaking out of her eyes and embarrassing her all over again. “You’re not just saying that…? You really mean that, Felix?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you about that, Annette. Your progress is something to be proud of, and I know you’re going to be amazing,” he said quietly, just audible under Zoltan’s purring. “If this is why you were upset…well I knew you came up with silly reasons to be upset but this is an especially silly one.” 

Annette sniffled. “But Felix, I’m not worth anything, I’m not going to inherit my title or land and I’m just going to get married off and be forced to have a bunch of children and—“

“Annette.” He leaned toward her, the intensity of his stare making her lean back a little. “It is precisely because you aren’t going to inherit your family title or land that you are free to make whatever choice you want. You can choose what you want out of life. But you have to choose before a choice is made for you.”

She took a moment to ponder what he said before responding. Because there wasn’t an expectation placed on her for how she had to live her life…she could do whatever she wanted? 

She thought about how Felix was the main heir to House Fraldarius, and how acutely aware he must be that once he graduated from the academy that he would likely never have the time to wield a sword like this again. 

“Truth be told, even nobles who don’t feel they have the choice to break from the path set in front of them do have the choice. Most just don’t like the consequences of that choice, so they won’t consider it,” he shrugged. 

“What are you going to do, Felix?” she asked softly. “Do you know which path you’re going to take yet?” The silence stretched on into the night and she couldn’t tell if a minute or an hour had passed but it was getting difficult to keep her eyes open.

“I don’t know.” The answer lacked his usual confidence. Maybe he was just as tired and didn’t have the energy to filter his thoughts. “The future is so…uncertain. I can feel the tension in the air here. Something big is coming. I don’t want to choose a path without knowing what’s coming.”

“What do you think is coming?” she asked quietly. She felt like she couldn’t talk any louder about it for fear of making it happen.

“I’m not sure. But when it does come, it won’t be good.” He sighed and leaned his back against the wall. “Be careful.”

“I will. And Felix?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks. I needed this.”

He smiled, something as fleeting as the glimmer of scales just underneath the water’s surface. “For you, anytime.”

“One more thing…why are you so nice to me?” The exhaustion began to creep into her voice.

He cleared his throat. “Um...I just am. Is that…alright?”

“Yeah, I just…there has to be more to it!” Annette snorted. “To everyone else you’re the prickliest pine cone but…you’re nice and patient and kind with me.”

“Just don’t go telling everyone about it, okay?” he grumbled. “And seriously, pine cones? Not something more…threatening?”

“I think a pine cone suits you fine!” she laughed. Come to think of it, pine cones were rather brittle…maybe she could think of a better comparison after sleeping for a reasonable amount of time. “I…should really get to my room. I have no idea what time it is.” But Zoltan was not only firmly planted, but picturesque in her lap. “I’m…really getting sleepy…”

“You can stay and I’ll sleep on the floor if you’d like,” he offered.

“No, that’s so improper,” she protested weakly. “I should…get up. I just need a minute.” 

She didn’t remember anything after that moment. She just knew the next thing she could recall was waking up with a pillow underneath her head and both Zoltan and Felix gone. And that she definitely did not get enough sleep. She imagined a hangover felt like this did. 

She blinked blearily and lurched upward. What day was it? Friday. _Oh no. _ She had a lecture at 10:30! Why didn’t Felix wake her up? Why didn’t Felix make her go back to her room last night? She scrambled off the bed and noticed the folded note on Felix’s desk.

_“Annette—_

_Sorry for not forcing you to go back to your room. You looked like you really needed the rest. I went to go train, but you should just rest until the late afternoon classes. No one would blame you for it._

_P.S. I slept on the floor, just like I said._

_—Felix”_

She fought with herself in that moment. Everything she talked about with Felix the night before, her breakdown…even Felix saying she needed to take care of herself. She remembered talking to the Professor about being better at taking care of herself and pushing herself less and she hadn’t actually managed to do anything about it.

But with her head pounding like this and her body feeling so heavy…it wasn’t so hard to hobble to her room and rest. She would do just that. Just for today alone. 

She quietly left Felix’s room and started for her own. But she felt the oddest sensation of someone watching her. Everyone should have been in class by now, so it wasn’t like there should have been anyone, and no one was in her line of sight within the narrow corridor. She spun around. 

Her father stood gaping at her, shock apparent.

“I, uh…I am looking for the young Prince’s room. I must drop off some correspondence of utmost secrecy from Fhirdiad. Would you…help me, Annette?” he looked like a cornered mouse, despite being multiple times her size.

“…That’s the first thing you’ve said to me in years, and that’s what you say,” her voice shook. “I knew you were cruel, but the audacity…”

“I’m sorry Annette, I wanted the moment I spoke with you to be something different, I thought all the students would be at class right now—“ he said quickly.

“—The moment you spoke with me? When were you planning that, five years from now?” she snarled. She didn’t think she had so much bitterness within her but it spilled out and wouldn’t stop. “You’ve done everything in your power to avoid me since you got here. I don’t believe you ever wanted to actually speak to me because you would actually have to deal with the family you left behind.”

“Annette, please…” he begged, “You don’t understand, I don’t deserve a family.”

“You’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you are so oblivious you didn’t know this wasn’t my room, or that you thought I wouldn’t be upset if you asked me about Dimitri’s room when that’s the first I’ve heard from you in four years after abandoning us. And the next thing out of your mouth is about you and not the pain you’ve caused your family. You make me so sick,” Annette stated so flatly, so quietly. “You are so painfully _ cruel, _ Father.”

“I’m sorry—“ he reached toward her instinctively but stopped himself and lowered his hand.

“Tell that to Mother.” Without thinking she turned around and stormed into Felix’s room and slammed the door behind her. She made sure to lock it just in case Father would try to explain himself or keep talking to her but that was beyond a foolish thought. He didn’t even try. She just heard his footsteps go past the door to Dimitri’s room and back out the hallway to leave. 

“Sorry Felix,” she mumbled. “Guess I’m staying here.” She wasn’t going to chance leaving like this, running into a classmate, or worse, a faculty member or her father again. She collapsed on Felix’s bed and again, the tears were back. Her head hurt too much to do anything other than feel the pain in her chest until she dozed off. 

When she dreamed, she was someplace far away. She was on top of a mountain, overlooking Fodlan. It was so cold she could barely move from being curled up, and the air so thin she could barely breathe. But still she watched the view over the whole continent, clouds shifting over and racing across the skies. It was utterly silent, not even the winds raced past her. 

_“This must be how the goddess feels,” _she wondered to herself. But the loneliness was crushing in its completeness. Annette had thought the good souls who went to the goddess’s domain would stay with her but…this wasn’t anything like that. Suddenly a small jab to her stomach sent her reeling off the mountain. She flailed and spun in free fall, and just before she knew she was going to hit the ground she tensed—

And she gasped awake, sending something flying. She looked around the room quickly. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry Zoltan!” she rushed over to the grumpy looking furball who had previously been curled up next to her. His stubby tail must have poked her in the stomach and woken her up. She rubbed and scratched the little kitten until his grumpiness melted away and Annette’s transgression seemed to be forgotten. He was purring in no time. The door swung open. She stood on reflex.

“Annette?” Felix said, bewildered. “What are you still doing here?”

“I…I was going to go to my room and ran into my father,” she blurted out, “I’m sorry, I just…I couldn’t go back after that. Once it gets late and no one will see me, I’ll go back to my room.” Felix’s face grew dark.

“Did he say or do something to you?” 

“No…well…he’s just a terrible father. That’s all. I don’t know why I expected him not to be. But I can’t help asking myself why I thought improving myself, learning more and growing to get this far would be enough for him to pay attention to me.” She was relieved she was talking about it without tears. She was tired of them. Felix stepped toward her.

“Fathers can’t be relied upon for much. I’m sorry, Annette. I know you can’t help wanting to believe they’re better than they really are,” Felix said so gently Annette questioned for a brief moment if she was really talking to Felix. “And I know it’s hard. But you are strong. You’ve gotten by this far without him and you’ll keep going without him. If he’s stupid enough to abandon someone like you, that’s his problem. But don’t wait for him.”

Every word rang true. But the cascade of emotions overwhelming her and the splitting headache meant she would process it later. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and let out a long, shuddering breath. He completely froze. Slowly, his hands relaxed and rested lightly at the small of her back. She took one uneven breath after another until she finally reigned it in under her control. “I’m not going to let him get to me anymore,” she whispered quietly. “He doesn’t deserve to.”

“That’s the Annette I know.” Felix replied simply. He pulled away from her and looked her in the eye. She didn’t have any of those annoying tears this time. And her stupid father didn’t deserve them. 

“I never knew your father sucked too, Felix,” she chuckled weakly. “Or that you would have such good advice about fathers.”

“My father is full of himself and a pain in the ass,” he informed her so plainly she laughed, “And I have no desire to speak to him when I can help it. Written correspondence is more than enough.” he wrinkled his nose. “The only thing he has going for him is that he’s competent.”

“I suppose the same can be said for mine,” she commented. “Actually, I take that back. He couldn’t figure out which room was Dimitri’s.” Felix just looked at her.

“I understand the Boar can’t be picky about his help, but damn,” he whistled low. “It’s going to be a long rest of the year.” 

“Maybe not,” she yawned. “With Zoltan around it can’t be that long.” Her stomach chose that moment to make the loudest complaining growl she had ever heard it make. And she was used to working hungry.

“I’ll go see if I can snag something from the kitchen. Dedue and Ashe are cooking tonight so I’m sure they wouldn’t object.” Felix dropped his bag on the bed. “If you want to look over my notes from lecture today, you’re welcome to.” Annette nodded and thanked Felix before he left, leaving her with Zoltan and a pile of parchment and notebooks.

Might as well make the best of her time and study. She flipped Felix’s notebook open and rifled through.

By the time Felix returned with food, Annette had barely made it through half a page of his notes.

“Oh thank the Goddess you’re back,” she groaned. “How do you read this atrocious handwriting? How does anyone?” the delicate blend of spices wafted to her nose. “I’ll take the atrocious part back if you give me one of those plates right now. Are those pork chops?” She gasped when she realized what else was on the plate. “And…strawberry shortcake?!”

Felix set her plate down next to her and sat at his desk with his own. “You’re quite lucky Ashe and Dedue like you enough to make these up for you. They think you’re quite ill.”

“You lied to them?” she squeaked. “I mean…I guess you didn’t have a choice really…”

“It didn’t take much convincing them when you of all people missed class,” he replied, amused. “Now what was that about my handwriting?” 

“It looks like a wyvern tried holding a quill between its toes and wrote with its non-dominant foot,” she said between mouthfuls of gloriously cooked pork. “No that doesn’t quite cover it. It looks like a drunken falcon knight’s steed tried writing with its horn.” 

“I may have been…falling asleep in lecture,” he stated, clearly trying to withhold his amusement. “I apologize. I’m sure Lysithea or Mercedes or anyone in our house would lend you their notes. And then I could copy yours, if you don't mind.”

“You’re right.” Annette relented with a smile. “I can just ask them. I’m sorry for keeping you up so late last night.”

“I don’t remember the last time I ever talked that much,” he admitted. “But…it was nice. I would like to do it again, sometime when you’re less stressed and we don’t have class the next day.”

“Me too!” she laughed then immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry for dumping all my problems on you…it’s really not fair to you.” She still couldn’t believe she could pour out her heart to Felix but not to Mercedes. But she would unpack that later. 

Felix shook his head. “It’s no problem at all.”

“Are you sure you’ll be saying that the sixth or seventh time I melt down and have to play with your cat to feel better?” she asked, only half joking. 

He smiled ever so slightly. “I’m certain.” And that in that smile, she felt like she would be okay for the entire year. That their world would hang on and be okay just a little while longer.

If only she could have seen the storm brewing on the horizon.

**Author's Note:**

> I probably should have proofread but I was too excited to get this out. So I guess I'm making more of these! They're just going to be loosely interconnected until I run out of ideas! I may or may not include other ships I really like as singular one-offs, but all of these are going to happen in the same "universe".  
Also the order they're listed in the series is the order they're intended to be read, for now at least. Not that it will be necessary to read them in order, but I want to set up for exploring certain things and establishing certain motifs as I go along.  
Let me know if you've got feedback, criticism, or comments!
> 
> And thanks for reading!  
~Legend


End file.
